Stove-shelf.



No. 662,946. Patented D80. 4, I900.

J. A. KLINE.

srove sum. (Application filed July 18, 1900.)

* UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. KLINE, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

STOVE-SHELF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,946, dated December4, 1900.

Application filed July 18, 1900. Serial No. 24,087. (No model.)

ing a simple and durable connection, permitting the shelf to be rigidlysustained in a horizontal position and to be folded to a verticalposition or to be entirely detached, as desired.

A further object is to provide articles of the character specified witha drop-shelf designed to be retained in its various positions throughthe manipulation of the shelf as distinguished from the rearrangement ofits connection.

To the accomplishment of these ends the invention consists in theconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully de-'scribed,illustrated in the accompanying dra wings, and succinctlydefined in the appended claims.

In said drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a fragment of astove, showing the shelf in its dropped or folded position. Fig. 2 is asectional view of the subject-matter of Fig. 1 with the shelf in itsraised or horizontal position and showing one of the supporting-hooks inelevation. Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 with the shelf in itsdropped or folded position and with its outer or lower edge broken away,and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the subject-matter of Fig. 3.

Referring to the numerals of reference, designating corresponding partsin the several views, 1 indicates a plate or supportas, for instance,the top of a st-ove-formed with a transversely-curved flange 2,terminating slightly below the upper surface of the plate 1 to form ashoulder 3. by brackets a, which are preferably integral with the plate1 and flange 2. Spaced by any desired interval apair of openings 5 and6- are provided in the flange 2, said openings being disposed verticallyor transverse to the flange and extending from the extreme upper edge ofthe latter to a sufficient distance from the bottom of the flange toform retainingbars 7 and 8. The upper edge of each retain- The flange 2is braced ing-bar is beveled or curved, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2and 3 of the drawings, the bevel being directed downwardly from theinterior face of the flange. At or adjacent to their upper ends theopenings 5 and 6 are formed with lateral extensions 9 and 10, and thedimensions of these extensions and of the openings are somewhatincreased by beveling the opposed edge of the plate 1, as indicated at11 in Figs. 2 and 3.

If desired, the stove structure may be reinforced in immediate proximityto the openings 5 and'6, as shown in the drawings; but this is notessential unless considerable weight is intended to be supported by theshelf.

The drop-shelf designed for attachment to the stove is indicated by thenumeral 12, and it is preferably, though not necessarily, given across-sectional contour corresponding to that of the stove-top 1. Thisis desirable, however, in order that the adjacent edge 13 of the shelfmay be seated against the shoulder 3 of the stove-top and that the edgesof the curved flange 14 may be seated against the flange 2 of the stovewhen the shelf is in its horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2. Uponthe under side of the shelf 12 are formed, preferably by casting themintegral with the shelf, a pair of retaining orsupporting hooks l5 and16, which extend beyond the edge 13 and are designed to be receivedwithin the openings 5 and 6. The supporting-hooks are of peculiar formin that their ends are bent downwardly or in a direction substantiallyat right angles to the shelf, as indicated at 17, and are provided withterminal laterally-disposed extensions or lugs 18,

for the accommodation of which the extensions 9 and 10 of the openings 5and 6 are.

provided. The upper portions of the supporting-hooks immediately beyondthe edge 13 of the shelf are flattened to provide bearing-surfaces 19,as .best shown by Fig. 3 of tent than the lug 20 and having itsbearingface 22 beveled away from the bearing, fora purpose to beexplained.

During the preceding description I have not-attempted to define theutility for the various peculiarities of construction; but I shall nowproceed with a description of the manner of manipulation of the shelf,from which the utility of these several details will be made apparent.Assuming that the shelf 12 is entirely separated from the stove, theends of the hooks will'be passed through the openings in the flange 14,which may be done by holding the shelf in an inclined position andpassing the lugs or extensions 18 of the hooks into the extensions 9 and10 of the openings 5 and 6. If the shelf is now released, it will dropto the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings and will be retainedagainst detachment by the engagement of the hook extensions 18 with theinterior face of the flange 2. If new it is desired to secure the shelfin its horizontal position, it must first be swung to a horizontalplane, which will position the bearing-face 19 horizontally and willcause the retaining-bar 7 or 8, as the case may be, to be located in thedeep portion of the hook. The shelf is now slid horizontally toward thestove, which will cause the cam-face 20 of each hook to ride up over theretaining-bar until the latter is received between the bearing-lugs 20and 21. When this has happened, the bearing-faces 19 of the hooks willrest flat against the under face of the stove-top, and downward swingingof the shelf upon the imposition of a weight will be prevented by theabutting of the bearing-lug 20 and the bearing-face 19 against theretaining-bar and stove-top, respectively. It will thus be seen that theshelf is connected to the stove by a connection which will remainperfectly rigid under a downward strain exerted upon the shelf, so thatculinary or other articles may be supported upon the shelf withoutdanger of accidental folding of the latter. It will also be seen that adirect outward pull upon the shelf will be resisted by the lugs 21abutting against the bearing-bars of the stove, the rising of the hooksto permit the passage of the lugs 21 over the bars being prevented bythe bearing-surfaces l9 abutting against the bottom of the plate 1. Ifnow it is desired to drop the shelf to a vertical position,

.as shown in Fig. 1, it is simply necessary to tilt the shelf to aposition above the horizontal, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, forthe purpose of causing'the bearing-lugs 21 to ride upon the bearing-bars7 and 8that is to say,

to present the cam-faces 23 to the bars, in which position of the partsthe shelf may be released to permit it to swing down to its foldedposition. It is to facilitate this upward swinging of the shelf that thebearingface'of the short lug 21 is beveled.

It will thus appear that I have produced a simple, durable, andefficient connection for etfectin g the adjustable attachment of a shelfto a supporting article without the employment of separate securingdevices and Without necessity for corework or drilling in themanufacture of the device.

In the claims I shall describe the supporting member 1 as a plate, bywhich term is meant any flat partas, for instance, the top of a stove,table, sewing-machine, or like article-to which a shelf might beattached.

While the present embodiment of my invention appears at this time to bepreferable, I desire to reserve the right to effect such changes,modifications, and variations as may be embraced within the spirit ofthe invention.

What I claim is- 1. The combination with a plate anda bearing-bar belowthe plate, of a shelf and a supporting device extended under the platefrom the shelf, said supporting device being formed with a pair ofopposed bearing-lugs for engagement with the bar at the same time, andwith a cam-face to facilitate the engagement of the lugs with the bar.

2. The combination with a plate and a bearing-bar, of a shelf and asupporting device extending under the plate from the shelf, said devicebeing formed with a pendent bearinglug, a second and somewhat shorterlug, and a cam-face extending to the end of the lastnamed lugtofacilitate the engagement of the lugs with the bar.

3. The combination with a plate and a bearing-bar, of a shelf having asupporting device formed with a flat bearing-face upon its upper sidefor engagement with the under side of the plate, and with a pair ofpendent bearing-lugs for engagement with the bearing-bar at the sametime.

4. The combination with a plate provided with a pendent flange having anangular aperture defining a bearing-bar, of a shelf provided with a hookhaving a lateral extension for engagement with the flange, and abearing-lug disposed to engage the bar.

5. The combination with a plate provided with a flange having anaperture defining a bearing-bar, of a shelf provided with a hook havinga terminal laterally-extending lug disposed in a plane parallel with theplane of the shelf and at right angles to the hook, and a pendentbearing-lug arranged to engage the bar.

6. The combination with a plate having a flange provided with an angularaperture defining a bearing-bar, of a shelf having a hook formed on itsupper side With a flat bearingsurface disposed in a plane parallel withthe shelf, a lateral extension at the extremity of the hook, and a pairof pendent bearing-lugs for engagement with the bar.

7. The combination with a plate provided with a pendent flange havingapair of openings defining bearing-bars and formed withoppositely-disposed extensions at their upper ends, of a shelf providedwith a pair of hooks IIO having oppositely-disposed lateral extensionsmy own I have hereto afiixed my signature in at their ends and flatbearing-faces formed the presence of two witnesses.

on their upper sides and a pair of pendent t bearing-lugs formechuponthe under side of JOHN KLINE' 5 each hook for engagement with thebearing- Witnessesi bars. ROBERT M. MOLEAN,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as ALBERT M. MERCER;

